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The challenges of sustainable development in the 21st century are multidimensional, dynamic, and related to contested social, political and economic claims; thus, university education should focus on developing competences of students so that they can perform better in a changing environment and stimulate beneficial change. The process of competence development must be grounded in the real world and must aim at transforming broader character elements, such as cognitive, technical, integrative, contextual, relational, affective/moral, and habits of the mind. The development of these character traits will enable them to address current and future challenges in agriculture, food, environment, health, and education.
I am deeply influenced by a learner-centred approach in education. The theoretical underpinnings of the approach are based on 'experiential learning'. According to this theory, knowledge is created through transformation of experience. In general, learning is a four-stage continuous and iterative process (see Figure 1). The stages proceed in an inductive way from experience through reflection and (re)conceptualization/generalization to action. The education philosophy offers students an opportunity to draw a conclusion based on their experience rather than insight formulated by others (e.g., instructors, trainers, and facilitators) based on experiences with which students may not identify.Experience and learning are integral parts of the experiential learning/education settings. The stage starts when participants are engaged in 'sharing knowledge' and 'doing' something. As a teacher, I engage students in a range of activities, such as listening to a lecture, engaging with content in the form of a case study, role play, simulations, games, videos, practising a skill, or completing an exercise. I often choose topics/cases that may involve disorientation, surprise, or recognition of ignorance. The cases help students reconsider their existing knowledge and experience (critical thinking). The nature of the issues provokes emotion, interest, controversy, and expression of concern for social justice, democracy, health, and empowerment. The cases/examples are selected based on their link to transformation of local and global issues of agriculture, food, ecosystem, health, poverty, pollution, and food security. In the reflection stage, I encourage students to discuss the activity undertaken during the experience stage. I follow both structured and semi-structured forms of sharing reactions of students with other members of the group. This takes place through individual assignment, discussion in small groups, or in plenary. I try to elicit both intellectual and attitudinal reactions to these activities.
In the generalization stage, students are encouraged to draw conclusions and (re)conceptualize opinions and ideas stimulated during the first two phases. Students are encouraged to think critically to draw conclusions that might apply generally or theoretically in a real-life situation. I help students by clarifying concepts, principles, and steps. I provoke them by asking questions: 'What are the implications (cultural, social, organizational, economical, and environmental) of the case for sustainable development?', 'How would you interpret the case in relation to your personal goals and interests?', or 'How could things be organized differently?'
In the action stage, students are encouraged to incorporate what they have learned during previous stages through assignments and other evaluation activities. I follow several techniques, which include reviewing each other’s assignments, formulating ideas for research or further study, sharing assignments with the class, and identifying additional learning needs. Overall, I try to facilitate learning through a continuous feedback (through dialogue and interaction) between thinking and action.
University of Guelph EDRD 6000: Qualitative Analysis CDE 6290 (2) Special Topic: Project Management in CDE CDE 6290 (1) Special Topic: ICT Stewardship and Development CDE 6311: Community Engagement POLS 6750 Development in Practice EDRD 2020 Interpersonal Communication EDRD 3160 International Communication POLS 3320 Politics of Foreign Aid and Development The University of the West Indies AGEX 6003: Trends and Emerging Issues in Agricultural Extension AGEX 3004: Communication Skills for Professionals AGEX 2001: Operation and Management of Extension Programme McMaster University CMST 2DD3 Media and Organization Humber College IDS 3303: Management Information System Bangladesh Agricultural University AEE322: Agricultural Extension Education AgExt. 221: Fundamentals of Extension, Leadership and AgExt.301: Extension Communication and Group Approach AgExt.222: Extension Teaching Methods and Aids AgExt.302: Data collection, Processing and Report Writing Agricultural Extension Education, I, II & III
- I have been actively engaged in the supervision of independent research theses at both undergraduate and graduate levels. I have dedicated my research and teaching to building personal relationships with others. I empathize deeply with how injustice affects people and communities—and I believe individual advocacy is insufficient. My program of research creates environments where participants receive training and are actively involved in community-engaged initiatives related to capacity development and agri-food innovation. I am currently working (Supervisor/Co-supervisor) with the following students.
- Dr. Khondokar Humayun Kabir (Banting Post-doctoral Fellow)
- Dr. Nasir Abbas Khan (Banting Post-doctoral Fellow)
- Dr. Mahatab Uddin (Mitacs/CIGI Post-doctoral Fellow)
- Uduak Edet (Doctoral/Rural Studies, University of Guelph): Large Language Models for Agricultural Advisory Services and Innovation Decision: Addressing Challenges of Information Disorder and Leveraging Opportunities
- Amina Afsour (Doctoral/Rural Studies, University of Guelph): Food in Jordan, From Security to Sovereignty, A Romantic Idea or an Existential Issue
- Gideon D. Binobo (Doctoral/ Geography and International Development, University of Guelph): Research Topic, Interrogating Challenges and Opportunities of Sustainable Seafood Governance in the Context of Climate Change Adaptation
- Carter Cousineau (Doctoral/ Computational Sciences, University of Guelph): Research Topic, Ethical and Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture
- Adelle Zaira Roop Chand (Doctoral/ Agricultural Extension, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine): Research Topic, Barriers and Opportunities for Adoption and Use of Cyber Extension in the Caribbean
- Sheraz Ali (Doctoral, Agricultural Extension, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine): Topic, The Prospect of Halal Certification in the Caribbean: A Study of Process, and Value Chain.
- Maggie Mc Cormick (MSc CDE, University of Guelph): Research Topic, On Mitigation: Exploring Prince Edward Island Beef Farmer Perceptions about Participation in Climate Change Mitigation.
- Edward Asafo-Ageyi (MSc. CDE, University of Guelph). Examining the Influence of Agricultural Policy Misinformation on Sustainable Agricultural Practices in Ghana’s Planting for Food and Jobs Policy
- Sultana Yeasmin (MSc, CDE, University of Guelph). Influence of misinformation on participation of young people with disabilities in agriculture in Bangladesh
- Ishaka Maharaj (MSc, CDE, University of Guelph)
- Francisca Solomon (MSc, CDE, University of Guelph).
- Anthony Akufo (MSc, CDE, University of Guelph).
Currently, I am serving to the committee of the following students
- Md. Kamruzzaman (Doctoral/ Environment and Society, Australian National University): Research Topic, Enhancing Agricultural Innovation to Adapt Flash Flood in the Haor Areas of Bangladesh.
- Lovelyn Umeh (MSc, CDE, University of Guelph)
- Kamshajini Raveenthiran (MSc, CDE, University of Guelph)
- Tiwalola Alabi (MSc, CDE, University of Guelph)
- Kaitlyn Carr (Master of Sustainability, Brock University)
- I supervised or Co-supervised following students
- Jeet Ramjattan (Doctoral/ Agricultural Extension, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine): Research Topic, Dynamics of social media use and misuse: Towards Strengthening agricultural extension services in Trinidad & Tobago.
- Mashiur Rahman (Doctoral, Rural Studies, University of Guelph): Topic, Aquaculture Systems in Ontario
- Hadis Azizi (MSc CDE, University of Guelph): The Use of Facebook by Agricultural Communities of Practices in Sri Lanka for Knowledge Sharing and Learning in the Era of Misinformation
- Kasuni Sachithra Illesinghe Kankanamge (MSc CDE, University of Guelph): Research Topic, Facebook for strengthening learning and relationship building among members of agricultural communities of practices in Sri Lanka.
- Jamieson Black (MSc CDE, University of Guelph): Completed 2021
- Ezekiel Martin (MSc CDE, University of Guelph, Completed 2020): Thesis Title, From the Brink: The Oracabesa Bay Fish Sanctuary Experience
- Uduak Edet (MSc, CDE, University of Guelph, Completed, 2023). The Influence of Information Disorder on Adaption of Farmers to Climate Change in Lagos State, Nigeria
- Paige Allen (MSc CDE, University of Guelph, Completed 2021): Thesis Title, The Social Side of Soils: A Farmer Centred Analysis on the Adoption of Cover Crops
- William Van Blyderveen (MSc CDE, University of Guelph): Research Topic, Beekeeping for livelihoods development in Malawai.
- Lorena McNamara (MSc CDE, University of Guelph/ Committee member/Second Reader): Completed, 2021
- Kate Debaets (MSc CDE, University of Guelph/Committee member/Second Reader): Completed, 2023
- Elijah Dalton (MSc CDE, University of Guelph, Completed 2020): Thesis Title, The Influence of Cash Transfers and Remittances on Children’s Human Capital Accumulation
- ASM Easir Arafat (MA Sociology/International Development/ Committee Member). Completed, 2020. Women in Farming: How Information and Communication Technologies are Changing the Lives of Women Farmers in Bangladesh
- Nelsha Shillingford (MPhil, Agricultural Extension, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine): Topic, Social Media for Enhancing Agricultural Innovation Network in the Commonwealth of Dominica
- Ruth Worrel (MPhil, Agricultural Extension, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine): Assessment of Mobile Applications for Strengthening Local Food Production/
- Md. Kamruzzaman (MSc, Development Innovation, Wageningen University, Completed, 2017): Thesis Title, How do Agricultural Extension Workers of DAE Use Social Media for Strengthening Agricultural Innovation in Bangladesh?
- Pwandeep Kaushik (MSc, Development Innovation, Wageningen University, Completed, 2016): Thesis Title, Role of Social Media in Enhancing Stakeholders' Networks and Innovation in Local Food System in Ontario.
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- Educational Technology Bootcamp, organized by OpenEd, University of Guelph, Feb 19 and 20, 2020. The bootcamp focused on use of technology in instruction, best practices of student engagement in class, providing effective feedback and assessment, and personalized one-on-one session to discuss teaching practices.
- Teaching Talk #1: Moving online: What our students are saying, May 15, 2020. This is a teaching talk organized by the College of Biological Sciences (CBS), University of Guelph to discuss results of a survey with 650 students who enrolled during W 2020. The objective is to identify experiences of students and discuss teaching innovation in response to the COVID 19 pandemic.
- The Summer 2020 Teaching and Learning Webinar Series, co-led by the College of Social and Applied Human Sciences (CSAHS) and the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics (LANG), University of Guelph
- The Course Re-design Institute, Office of Teaching and Learning, University of Guelph 16 and 17 June, 2020
- Post-Graduate Certificate in University Teaching and Learning (2018): I have completed this one-year graduate certificate course offered by the University of the West Indies. The program comprised four graduate courses: CUTL 5001 Teaching and Learning: Theory-Practice; CUTL 5104 Assessment in Higher Education, CUTL 5106 Advancing Teaching and Learning with Technology, CUTL 5207 Reflective Teaching for Learning.
- 10 Steps to the Perfect Course Outline (2017): I completed this online professional developed course offered by the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, the University of the West Indies.
- Glocal Classroom- Technology and Live Streaming to Support Online Pedagogy (2014): I participated in this workshop organized by the Malmo University, Sweden during 16-23 September 2014, Malmo, Sweden.
- Making a Difference: Inspiring Confidence in the Classroom (2012): I participated in this teaching conference organized by the OpenEd, University of Guelph.
- Europass Workshop (Higher education system in Austria, Bologna process, Europass) (2010): I participated in this workshop organized by the National Agency for Lifelong Learning, Austrian Agency for International Cooperation in Education and Research.